Chapter 174: Death and Deception

For the next three days the world revolved around Cheryl and her family. I worked on Smiley some, but since I hadn't planned to start the introduction for two more weeks, nothing had to be changed.

On that third day, Cheryl's father had another stroke and it was fatal. I had been expecting it and I am sure Cheryl and her step mother were as well. I rushed to the hospital the moment I heard. I did it to show my love for Cheryl, but also to be sure nobody tried to bully her. I had no idea what the family would be like, when they all gathered.

When I arrived, I found that Cheryl was a basket case. I tried to calm her down and help her through the ordeal. It was going to get worse, I knew. I had found, over the previous three days, that in general I liked her step mother. She would have been perfect, if she hadn't look at me as though I was carrying some terrible disease.

Cheryl's half brother, who was some kind of doctor, was on his way to Tryon. I had not met him, but I knew I would within the next few hours. Step mom told Cheryl that her son was flying in just as soon as he could arrange a flight. At that time I didn't think he was the practicing type of physician, but he was involved somehow in medicine. I had never really heard that he was in medicine, it was more a feeling than anything else. I expected that I would know it all soon enough. Cheryl had come to lean on me through the tragedy, so like it or not, I was involved.

Cheryl's Step mother said, "He wanted to be cremated. I will call the people to make that happen."

I asked Cheryl, "Is that what you want to do?

She said, "Yes that's what he wanted. He told me that once. I want to do what dad wanted done. It doesn't matter what that is."

Lindsay had not been to the hospital, only because it was the way Cheryl wanted it. She had been to the apartment every night for a couple of hours. I didn't know, or care, what lie she told her husband to manage it. I was just glad that she was there for Cheryl. It seemed that somewhere along the line Cheryl and I had become friends. We were no longer even casual lovers. It hurt a little, but I also enjoyed her as a friend, so it wasn't a complete loss. Many of my relationships ended poorly. The one with Cheryl had ended in deep friendship.

"Maxine, it's me Lucas. I called me to ask if I should go to the memorial service, or skip it so as not to be seen with Cheryl?"

"I don't think it matters to be honest Lucas. You and Cheryl were not friends, so it isn't necessary. If you want to show up, I am sure it will be fine. It's really up to you." I suggested.

Helen, of course, called me several times a day to compare notes on Cheryl's condition. Cheryl was actually doing better than the soft hearted Helen. Helen was worried that she might not do all that she possibly could to help ... I swore Helen had a heart of pure gold.

Her Dad's memorial service was a lot like Gunny's, but with less pomp and circumstance. The people who attended were better dressed. Also they all appeared to be well off, financially anyway. I knew that her dad had invented something that went into the manufacture of automobiles, but I had no idea he ran with the kinds of people who showed up for the service. No wonder Cheryl wanted a place of her own. I can image that it would give me a complex as well.

Cheryl, her half brother, and her Step Mom all agreed that they wanted a place to visit him, at least in spirit, so they had the ashes interned at the outdoor wall filled with niches. They bought four spaces one for each of them, so they could all be together, if that was still their desire when the time came. Odds were good that mom would be the only one to rest beside him. Everyone else would no doubt move on.

"Maxine, I told Helen and now I want to tell you, I need some time alone. I'm going to have dad's driver take me to Dad's farm in Carbonville for a few days. Maybe a few weeks I'm not sure. I know you had planned on me helping with the Smiley thing, but I'm just not up to it." It was obvious that her father's death was weighing heavy on her. He was the only think in her life that was stable. Everything else was completely different from anything she had known for almost twenty years. I understood completely.

"Do not worry about me and Lucas. We always have a plan b. It's just fine, take all the time you need, but don't forget us." I said.

"Maxine, I know this sounds awful, but please don't contact me. I need to think things through. My dad was always after me to do something big with my life. I think I need to do that to honor him." she said.

"You do what you need to do. I will miss you, but I will be fine." I said sadly.

"Thank you, you have been a real friend. There aren't many people I can say that about." she said.

"I'm glad you feel that way, and I want to continue being your friend." I said it but I knew she was going to move on with her life. Damn it, people were always leaving me.

"I'm going to take the bike and just have the driver leave me till I call for him. I can get around on the bike for a few days anyway." she said before she turned to leave.

I hated being practical at a time like that, but I had to come up with a plan b for James Smiley. He wasn't going to slip through my fingers because Cheryl couldn't help. There were other ways, of course I had no idea what other ways there might be for that particular situation.